New trial date set for campus area sexual assaults

OROVILLE — A new trial date has been set for a former physician assistant charged for three sexual assaults in the neighborhood south of Chico State University.

Defendant Lonnie Scott Keith, 41, of Chico, will face trial March 24 in two cases, according to supervising deputy district attorney Mark Murphy.

In one case, Keith is charged in Butte County Superior Court with rape, assault with intent to rape and two counts of kidnapping for two incidents that took place on Sept. 22 and Oct. 28, 2012.

In those cases, an assailant concealed by either a mask or nylon stocking allegedly forced a woman into a dark-colored sedan or sport utility vehicle with covered rear windows. Both women were bound, blindfolded and injected with an unknown substance that caused drowsiness. At least one was sexually assaulted.

A trial date had originally been set for Oct. 7 in that case, but the date was vacated after Keith was charged for a third alleged assault in spring 2012.

The prosecution has alleged the use of stupefying drugs and zip ties was similar to the other incidents.

Chico police had been investigating sexual assaults in the area dating back to August 2011 when they arrested Keith on Jan. 27. Police stopped Keith's vehicle after he allegedly ran a stop sign at West Fourth and Orange streets near the Chico train depot.

Keith had reportedly been driving a dark-colored Dodge with partially covered rear windows. During subsequent searches of the vehicle, officers reportedly found a flashlight with a stun gun, syringes, vials of drugs, gloves, handcuffs, leg restraints, and nylons and adhesive tape cut into strips.

The defendant was a physician assistant at Enloe Occupational Health and Oroville Hospital. A judge barred Keith from practicing medicine during a hearing in April.